UMass Boston

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Communication Minor

Gain the Expertise You Need to Become an Effective Communicator.

UMass Boston’s Communication Minor program equips you with a fundamental skill set to effectively connect with people, convey ideas, and navigate social and professional interactions. You’ll develop your writing, speaking, interpersonal communication, and digital media communication skills. Through a combination of theoretical study and practical applications, this program gives you the tools you need to succeed in a rapidly changing media landscape.

The skills you learn in this program apply to a variety of fields. After finishing, you’ll open the door to career paths like journalism, broadcasting, advertising, public policy, community outreach, and many more.

Expand Your Studies

How to Apply/Declare

Current Undergraduate Students: Complete an Undergraduate Program Add/Change form after meeting the following criteria:

  • Complete courses COMM 100 and 200 with a combined GPA of 2.75 for both courses. COMM 200 must be taken at UMass Boston.

Prospective Undergraduate Students: Apply for admission to UMass Boston by completing an application. Start by reviewing the first-year and transfer application pages for important information about requirements, deadlines, and application status checks. Use the links below to apply: 

Apply as a First-Year Student

Apply as a Transfer Student

Curriculum

Introductory Communication Courses (6 Credits)

  • COMM 100 - Introduction to Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 200 - New Media Society 3 Credit(s)

Communication Electives (9 Credits)

Complete three courses from the list below.

  • COMM 215L - Gender & Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 220 - Interpersonal Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 240 - Organizational communication 3 Credit(s)<
  • COMM 250 - Analyzing Media 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 255 - Visual Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 260 - Psychological Effects of Mass Media 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 270 - Introduction to Strategic Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 280 - Special Topics 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 300 - Information Technology and Human Communication Credit(s)
  • COMM 305 - Communication in Diverse Organizations 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 310L - Love, Sex, and Media Effects 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 315 - New Media, Identity, Self 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 320 - Social Influence and Compliance Gaining 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 325 - Relational Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 330 - Health Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 335 - Lying & Deception 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 340 - Communication and Community Mobilization 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 345 - Environmental Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 350 - Political Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 370 - Advertising/PR Campaign Planning 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 372 - Social Media and Strategic Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • COMM 380 - Special Topics 3 Credit(s)

Outside Elective (3 Credits)

Complete one course from the list below.

  • AMST 215L - America on Film 3 Credit(s)
  • AMST 235 - The Social History of Popular Music 3 Credit(s)
  • AMST 310 - Television in American Life 3 Credit(s)
  • AMST 335 - Music And Politics 3 Credit(s)
  • AMST 355L - Black Popular Culture 3 Credit(s)
  • AMST 375 - Best Sellers in American Society 3 Credit(s)
  • AMST 410 - Cultural History of U.S. Media 3 Credit(s)
  • AMST 430 - Music & Amer Lit 3 Credit(s)
  • ART 295L - Introduction to Video 4 Credit(s)
  • ART 297 - Introduction to Digital Media Art 4 Credit(s)
  • ART 395L - Video Workshop 4 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 203 - Writing Craft/Context/Design 3 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 216 - Reading and Writing Journalism 3 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 306 - Advanced Nonfiction Writing 3 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 307 - Journalism and Media Writing 3 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 308 - Professional Editing 3 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 309 - Multimedia Authoring 3 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 312 - Digital Culture and Composition 3 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 340 - Literature and Visual Media 3 Credit(s)
  • ENGL 341L - Gender and Film: Multidisciplinary Perspectives 3 Credit(s)
  • MKT 301 - Principles of Marketing 3 Credit(s)
  • MKT 403 - Integrated Marketing Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • MKT 430 - International Marketing 3 Credit(s)
  • MKT 479 - Digital Marketing 3 Credit(s)
  • POLSCI 330 - Presidential Elections (A) 3 Credit(s)
  • PSYCH 230 - Social Psychology 3 Credit(s)
  • PSYCH 234 - Psychology of Cross-cultural Relations 3 Credit(s)
  • PSYCH 333 - Group Dynamics 3 Credit(s)
  • PSYCH 335 - Social Attitudes and Public Opinion 3 Credit(s)
  • PSYCH 337 - Communication and Society 3 Credit(s)
  • SOCIOL 300 - Sociology of Media and Communication 3 Credit(s)
  • SOCIOL 364 - Internet, Society, and Cyber Crime 3 Credit(s)
  • SOCIOL 375L - Indian Cinema 3 Credit(s)
  • WGS 220 - Women and the Media 3 Credit(s)
  • WGS 325L - Sexual Identities in American Culture 3 Credit(s)
  • WGS 341L - Gender and Film: Multidisciplinary Perspectives 3 Credit(s)
  • WGS 394L - Radical Voices of Resistance: Gender, Race and US Social Movements 3 Credit(s)

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

Completion Requirements

Complete at least 18 credits from six courses, including two required introductory communication courses, three communication electives, and one outside elective.

GPA: A minimum GPA of 2.75 is required for COMM 100 and 200.
Pass/fail: Only one course taken pass/fail outside of COMM 100 and 200 may be applied toward the minor.
Residency: At least four courses, including COMM 200, must be completed at UMass Boston.
Course level: At least two courses for the minor must be at the 300-level or above.

Contact

Lin (Julie) Zhu, PhD, Department Chair    
Wheatley Hall, 6th Floor, Room 81
617.287.6784
Lin.Zhu [@] umb.edu

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